Fabulous forties!
Michelle Pfeiffer (Getty Images)
Monday April 14 2008
Michelle Pfeiffer may be 49 but she'd easily pass for a decade younger. She may be blessed genetically, but it's a sure bet she's taken care of herself and her skin.
She's a California girl and does have a few smile lines, but there's no sign of sun damage (she must be religiously applying her SPF) or sagging.
It's impressive when you consider that you lose a lot of collagen and elastin, which provide the 'scaffolding' for the surface layers, in your 40s. As a result, your skin is less resilient and less able to plump itself back up.
The loss of fat in the subcutaneous layer leaves your skin more fragile, as sags, jowls and creases start to show. Cell turnover slows down and lines start to look deeper. It's not exactly ideal, and if you're a smoker, then you can certainly expect a few more lines around your eyes and mouth.
And that's not all. At the same time, the outer layer of the epidermis starts to grow even thicker because dead skin cells hang around for longer.
So if you're not doing it already, this is a great time to develop the habit of regularly exfoliating your skin with a facial scrub once a week, preferably one that includes rose oil or jojoba oil because these contain natural AHAs (alpha hydroxyl acids).
AHAs help to strip the dead outer epidermal cells away by dissolving protein bonds, leaving your face looking fresher.
Facialist Vaishaly Patel, who includes Sophie Dahl and Kirsten Dunst among her clients, advises to always use a sun protection cream whether it's sunny or cloudy, and incorporate facial massage into your daily regime.
By boosting circulation, blood flow and delivering oxygen, you'll see an immediate glow.
It's essential to invest in anti-ageing skin products. Look for ones boasting ingredients such glycolic acid to exfoliate and smooth, vitamin-A to rejuvenate and the antioxidant Idebenone to improve the appearance of wrinkles and protect the skin.
If you're only going to invest in one, make sure it's a rich, nourishing night cream. After all, if it's good enough for a movie star...
- Rowena Walsh
